Plan the Season

The countdown of shopping days has started; tinsel and fir trees are starting to pop up everywhere, Slade, Sir Cliff and Mariah Carey are clearing their throats, and before you know it we’ll soon be in the midst of that glittery, twinkly, chiming time of year known as Christmas

Christmas is coming, and like a Terminator dressed in a Santa costume, it absolutely will not stop. So it’s best to be fully prepared for the season, and the sooner you start planning, the better.

Christmas on Lanzarote, however, is slightly different. Here, it’s a genuine holiday that lasts a fortnight and doesn’t finish until January 6th, rather than a couple of days of excess. It’s all a little more relaxed and enjoyable.

If you’re an expat, Christmas here can be one of the most genuinely charming times of year. But it can also make demands that you’ll need to plan in advance for. Many of us will be far away from friends and family, so gift shopping needs to be sorted out earlier, and cards and parcels should be winging their way to their destinations by mid-December at the latest.

Christmas is also a time when we go back to those things that we know and love. Every family has its own Christmas traditions, and if they involve products that are typically British, Irish, German or Scandinavian, then you’ll also have to do some research and maybe get some orders placed.

Then there’s the preparation itself. Some Christmas specialties, such as Christmas cake, need to prepared early, while festive home decorations are also worth planning in advance. If you’re having guests (here on Lanzarote, that’s highly likely), you’ll need to make the necessary arrangements.

Starting early and getting organised is also advisable for the simple reason that it’ll take the stress off you, too. Why not combine a short break with gift shopping, or book a spa or beauty treatment to keep you in perfect shape for the active weeks ahead.

Start now, and you can take Christmas in your stride – enjoying every moment of a season that never loses its charm and magic.